Cut-out for electric sterilizers.



W. L. WOERNER.

CUT-OUT FOR ELECTRIC STERILIZERS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. I915- Patented May 22, 191?.

' witmme o 15 A TTOR/VEV UNITED strATEs PATENT orFicE.

- WILLIAM L. wonnunn, on NEW YORK, N. Y., essmivon To THE PROMETHEUS inLEcirnio COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CUT-OUT non ELECTRIC s'rE'nILIznns.

To al l whom it may concern:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. weaken,-

a citizen of the United States, residing atjthecity of New York, borough of Manhattan, in

the county and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cut-Outs 'for Electric Sterilizers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

My invention relates to "means for intering .to energize the heating element, when the liquid within the sterilizing vessel has been completely. vaporized, order to prevent the apparatus becoming overheated or burned out.

" 'Further, said invention has for its object to provide a cut-out with means for controlling the same, which means is actuated by the heating apparatus of the sterilizer'andserves automatically to discontinue the oper-,.

ation'thereof when the apparatus becomes unduly'heated in consequence of the total evaporation of the liquid in the sterilizer.

Further,'said invention has for its object to provide a fusible cut-out comprising a fixed heat-conducting member and a removable fusible supporting element so mounted on said heat-conducting member that it will control a switch whereby, when the heat rises to a predetermined temperature, said fusible support will be fused and permit the switch operating member-[to be released and cause the switch'to break the electric circuit. p

' To the attainment of the aforesaid ob ects and-ends --my invention consists in the novel pdetails ofconstruction, and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts.

hereinafter more -fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

' In the. accompanying drawings forming part: of this specification wherein like numerals lofr eference indicate like parts,-

Figure 1 isa side elevation of a sterilizing apparatus with one form of cut-out applied-thereto constructed according to and embodying my; said invention Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail inverted plan view of the sterilizer and the cut-out arranged thereon;

Fig. 3 is asect-ion taken on the line 3-3 Patented May 22, 191?.

' Application flied Tannery 13,1915. Serial at. 1,915.;

switch operating" member released and the out and in section on the line 55 of Fig. 2,

showing the means for securing the heatconducting member and supporting the fusible section in position thereon. 1 In said drawings 10 designates asterilizing'apparatus which may be of any desired shape and siz'e,comprising a. double-walled receptacle 11 having a raised bottom 12, and. a hinged 'cover.13. ,Upon the underside of the raised bottom 12 issecured anelectric heating device comprising two series of transverseheating elements orunits 14:, 14 arranged alternately and held in place by. longitudinal support ing members 15, 15 which are secured to the underside of the bottom'12 by bolts 16, 16.

17 denotes a binding screw secured in the side of the casing 11 adjacent to its lower end. From said binding screw 17 extends a conductor 18 which is connected to. each of the corresponding ends of the heating units 14, 14, by clips 19, 19. 20 denotes a simi lar binding post from which extends a conductor 21 which is connectedio the opposite ends of the series of heating units 14, by clips 21,-and denotes a third binding post from which extends a conductor 23 which is secured to the corresponding ends of the series of heating units 14, by means of'clip 23 "At the side of the casing 11 directly infmnt of the binding posts 17, 20. and 22 is disposed a hollow block of insulating mate- .rial 21 which may beinade of fiber, rubber 7 throu h said brackets and into the opposite .ends of said insulating block2i. 27 denotes a shaft which is longitudinally arranged in v the support 24, and has its ends mounted in of Fig. 2 showing the switch in its normalposition and-the'contacts actuated thereby closed; Fig. 4: is a similar section show ng the the ends of said support 24. One end of said shaft 27 extends materially beyond the end of said support 24 and'has an arm 28 secured at its outer end. 29 denotes a spring having its inner end disposed in a recess pro-- vided in its end of the insulating support 2i,

and its other end engaging the arm 28 adj a cent to said shaft 27 whereby to maintain the free end of said arm normally depressed.

Upon the poiyon of heshaftB'I located 27. The projecting portion 35" is also prowithin the hollow block 24: are disposed eccentrics 30, 30 which are secured in position i the heating apparatus is secured a metallic heat-conducting member which extends outwardly therefrom and through the rear of the casing 11, and has its projecting portion 35 longitudinally socketed to receive a fusible section 36 adapted to support the free end of the arm 28 fixed upon the shaft vided with a cut-away portion or recess 35 to permit of the passage of the free end of the arm 28 when the fusiblesupporting section 35 fused. I

37 denotes a cap of insulating material which is disposed upon, and adapted to inclose the outer end of the projecting end of the heat-conducting member 35, and the outer end of the fusible section 36 located therein. I

The operation of the apparatus is as fol- Upon connecting one conductor leadingamount of heat is desired the conductors.

vfrom the source of energy are connected to the contacts 32 and 34' in which case the heating units 14 and 14 will be connected in series between the conductors 21 and 23 thus decreasing the'flow ofthe current from the source thereof.

Should the liquid within the receptacle 11 for any reason become completely vaporized the temperature of the heating apparatus will rise, and in so rising conduct the heat from said heating apparatus by means of the heat-conducting member 35 extending therefrom, and conduct sutlicient heat to the projecting portion thereof to cause the fusiblc section 36 located therein to be fused, and as soon as this occurs the free end of the arm 28 will be caused to descend under the influence oi the spring 29 arranged upon the shaft As the spring 29 partially rotates said shaft 27, and the eccentrics 30, 30' thereon the Contact D m nus 32, 34 will be caused to separate from their corresponding contactsL-Z, 34* extending from the binding posts 20 22, and thus brea the c Thereupon the supply of electric energy to the heating apparatus-will be discontinued and the overheating and destruction of the receptacle '11 and the burning out or melting of the solder used thereon thereby wholly prevented.

It will be noted that although the circuit closer is shown as comprising three contacts that only two of said contact members are shown composed of a fixed element and a movable element, and that only two cams, 30,

'30, are provided for actuating said movable contact elements. However, all of said contacts may be composed ofa fixed'element and a movable element and each operated by suitable cam means upon a common sha t when it is desired positivel to break the e'cfinection between each 0 said contacts and the source of electric supply.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a'reeeptacle, and a heater thereon, with means for controlling the supply of energy to said heater, a support on said heater, a fusible member mounted in-said support for maintaining saidcontrolling means normally in opera-l tive relation, and to release said'controlling means to discontinue the supply of energy when the apparatus attains an abnormal temperature, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, and an electric heater thereon, with means for controlling the supply of energy to said heater, means for operating said controllin means, a support secured to said heater, an a fusible member mounted in said support for maintaining the means. for operating saidcontrolling means normally in operative relation and to release said 0 crating means to discontinue the supply o energy when the apparatus attains an abnormal temperature, substantially as specified.

3. In an apparatusof thc character described, the combination of a receptacle, and an electric heater secured-thereto'below the base thereof, with a support secured to said heater, a fusible member mounted in said support, a circuit closer mounted upon said receptacle comprising a fixed element and a movable element, a shaft means upon said shaft adapted to engage said movable cle ment and to move the same into engagement with said fixed element, and an operating member for said shaft having one end free and engaged by said fusible member, whereby to he? said operating member normally in position .to maintain said circuit closer operative to close said circuit, and to open- 4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, and an electric heater secured thereto and arranged below the base thereof, with a support secured to said electric heater, a fusible member in said support, a circuit closer comprising a base,'a fixed contact member. a movable contact member, a shaft mounted in said base, a cam thereon serving to move said movable contact member into engagement with said fixed contact member, an arm on said shaft having its free end normally supported upon said fusible member whereby to maintain said circuit closer op erative to permit of the flow of energy to said heater, and spring means to actuate saidshaft and cam to break the engagement a, of said contact members whereby to discontinue the supply of energy when the apparatus attains an abnormal temperature, substantially as specified.

5, In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a receptacle, and an electric heater comprising a plurality of elements secured thereto and arranged below the base of said receptacle, with a supportsecured to said heater and extending laterally therefrom, a fusible member mounted in said support, a circuit controller comprising a base secured to said receptacle, a fixed contact member connected'with one terminal of each of said heater elements, a fixed contact member connected with the opposite terminals of certain of said heater elements, and a fixed contact member connected with the opposite terminals of the others of said heating elements, movable contact members secured to said base adapted to engage with the fixed contacts connected with the two series of opposite terminals of said heating elements, a shaft mounted in said base, cams on said shaft adapted to engage said movable contact members and more the same into engagement with their respective fixed contact members, an arm on said shaft ha"- ing its free end normally supported upon said fusible member whereby to maintainsaid cams in position to hold said movable contact members in engagement with their respective fixed contact members whereby to permit of the flow of energy to said heater elements, and to discontinue the sup ply of said energy when the apparatus at tains an abnormal temperature, substantially as specified.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, this 14th day of October, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen.

WILLIAM L. \VOERNER.

\Vitnesses CONRAD A. Dm'rnnron, LOUIS B. HASBROUGH. 

